1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a hand motion wheelchair assembly and, more particularly, the invention relates to a hand motion wheelchair assembly providing easier operation of a manually operated wheelchair and reducing or eliminating the need for assistance by others.
2. Description of the Prior Art
America is a country which is in the aging process with the fastest growing age segment being the elderly. There are undoubtedly many reasons for this increase in the older population but probably the two biggest reasons are that advances in medical science and increased awareness of the importance of a healthy diet is prolonging the life expectancy of Americans.
Although Americans are living longer, the ravages of time still takes its toll on the physical capabilities of older individuals. Consequently, many people suffer from varying degrees of impaired mobility, requiring the use of some type of assistive device to get around. One of the more common, and beneficial, assistive devices used is the wheelchair. Not all wheelchair users are confined to these devices because of age attributed impairment; there are quite a few people who suffer from cerebral palsy or other debilitating diseases who must use wheelchairs for ambulatory purposes. Many individuals are confined to a wheelchair as the result of a stroke, a common term for cerebral thrombosis (a blood clot that interrupts the blood supply of the brain) and for cerebral hemorrhage (a rupture in a blood vessel that allows blood to escape into the brain tissue). Both can cause brain damage with resulting partial or complete paralysis or, possibly, death.
As anyone who uses a manually operated wheelchair can attest, propelling and maneuvering a wheelchair is a physically tiring task and many individuals rely on the assistance of others, either occasionally or on a regular basis.